The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently launched a website intended to identify and publicly name officials in sanctuary jurisdictions, which are areas that do not fully comply with federal immigration enforcement. This initiative was framed by DHS as a measure to expose local leaders who allegedly obstruct federal immigration laws, claiming such actions endanger American citizens.

This list was part of a broader directive issued by President Donald Trump, which mandated DHS to compile a record of states and localities that hinder the enforcement of federal immigration laws. The executive order also required the attorney general and the DHS secretary to inform these jurisdictions of potential legal violations.

However, shortly after the list was made public, the National Sheriffs’ Association expressed concerns about the lack of transparency and accountability in its creation. The association, representing over 3,000 sheriffs across the United States, criticized the process, stating that there was no input or clear criteria for compliance, nor a mechanism for jurisdictions to contest their designation. The association's president, Sheriff Kieran Donahue, indicated that this could undermine trust between local law enforcement and the federal administration.

The list was part of the Trump administration's strategy to target sanctuary cities, which often cite the 10th Amendment as a basis for declining to participate in federal immigration enforcement. Some jurisdictions argue that they have a legal right to refuse cooperation with federal authorities.

Representative Lauren Boebert from Colorado reported her efforts to communicate with local officials to ensure that non-sanctuary jurisdictions were removed from the list. She noted that Aurora, Colorado, had been incorrectly labeled as a sanctuary city, which became a contentious issue during the 2024 election cycle due to concerns about crime linked to migrant populations.

As the list was updated, several jurisdictions, including El Paso County, Weld County, and Aurora in Colorado, were removed, and corrections were made to spelling errors in the names of various locations.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the list in a media appearance, asserting that it would continue to identify jurisdictions that do not comply with federal laws. However, the webpage containing the list was removed entirely at one point, with a message indicating that the page could not be found. A senior DHS official later stated that the list is subject to ongoing review and updates based on various factors, including self-identification as a sanctuary jurisdiction and compliance with federal immigration laws.